I've attached scans of a postcard from Kenya to Italy that I thought looked interesting (and cheap) when I saw it. The vendor describes the cachet as an Italian Army marking - I'd like to confirm that (and if possible be a bit more specific!). The marking is over the stamps and it seems likely to have been applied in Italy - does anyone know whether that was a common practice or why it was done?
Thanks
Nick Guy
Hi Nick,
Interesting card and certainly looks correct to me.
I assume from UNOSOM 1 - the UN Operations following the Somali rebellion in 1979, both to support the Somali people and aid the evacuation of foreign nationals. There were Italian troops along with other nations making up this force. This was a cross boarder operation into Kenya, I can find no reference, but it would seem logical that the UN Base was in Kenya?
Peter
Peter
Looking at "United Nations Peace-keeping - An Introduction" by John Daynes (pub 1996 by Postal History 2000) there is no mention of Italy as a contributor of military personnel for UNOSOM I. UNOSOM I operated April 1992 to April 1993.
The postcard was from 1979 so we are looking for a much earlier Italian involvement in Africa.
I have found the following: "The governments of Egypt, Italy, and Saudi Arabia provided military assistance to the Somali government beginning in 1978. "
https://uca.edu/politicalscience/dadm-project/sub-saharan-africa-region/somalia-1960-present/
So that might be where the Italian connection with Somalia stems from - but we have to identify the Kenyan connection.
Mike
Thanks for these suggestions
Nick